


Closer

by Saenda



Category: Captive Prince - C. S. Pacat
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Past Child Abuse, Sick Character, Sickfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-22
Updated: 2016-03-22
Packaged: 2018-05-28 08:02:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,244
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6321472
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Saenda/pseuds/Saenda
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A hunting trip is ruined by a downpour, but the party that should have returned early lingers, worrying Damen. </p><p>When they finally make it hours after, Damen is glad that Laurent is safe. He is exhausted and drenched, but safe. Laurent was also unharmed, so that, along with a long warm bath, should have been enough.</p><p>But Laurent did not return merely with exhaustion. And now, Damen worries.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Closer

As the rain poured endlessly over Arles’ landscape, Damen worriedly leaned over the railway of one of the many balconies the palace had to offer, ignoring the shivers occasionally coursing through his body. He was protected from the downpour thanks to a second balcony above his head, but droplets managed to reach him regardless.

 

Another shiver ran over him as he felt a presence approaching behind him. He didn’t turn his head, instead stubbornly keeping his gaze on the road ahead that led to the palace’s entrance gates.

 

A road that should have contained a party of people returning ages ago. A road that kept being frustratingly empty despite his strongest wishes.

 

The presence settled beside him, strong and reassuring, and Damen allowed himself to close his eyelids for the single moment of a heartbeat before he returned to his scrutiny, once again in hope of a miracle.

 

“They will return safely,” Nikandros told him gently, voice steady. “Maybe the rain did not bother them.”

 

Damen sighed angrily, running a hand through his thick dark curls.

 

“It’s been raining like mad since late this morning; it is cold and uncomfortable. It’s the type of temperature that anyone would attempt getting away from, and a hunting trip would definitely be ruined by it. There is no reason that should have kept them away unless something happened.”

 

Damen felt a strong hand landing on his shoulder, squeezing it, but he couldn’t gather the strength it was supposed to send him.

 

Early that morning, Laurent, Makedon and a party of their men had set off for a hunting trip in the forest and fields a few miles away from the palace. It had been sunny and almost warm then, promising a cheerful day. But a few hours later, dark clouds had gathered so quickly, no one could have known they were coming. The downpour began from then on, never once relenting in its intensity.

 

Damen didn’t think much of it when he first realised the sudden change in temperature. He trusted Laurent would order their imminent return because of the bad weather, or that Makedon would suggest it to keep the king of Vere safe.

 

However, when hours grew and grew and there were still no signs of the hunting party, Damen began to worry. They should have returned by now. The trip was but a few miles away, maybe an hour from the palace. But it was already late afternoon and no one had yet to arrive. Damen couldn’t help but fear the worst.

 

What if something happened to Laurent?

 

Damen regretted not accompanying them that very morning. But there had been matters he needed to attend and, besides, it was a good opportunity for Laurent and Makedon to get even more acquainted. Since their march to Ios almost a year ago, Makedon became somewhat of an uncle to Laurent, much to Damen’s pleasure. Laurent deserved all the kindness people had to offer. He deserved to have people he could trust around him, people he could consider like real family.

 

And so it had been their time and Damen hadn’t wanted to intrude on that.

 

“Nothing happened,” Nikandros said. “There could be tons of reasons for their delay. They may have found refuge somewhere and decided to wait for the rain to stop before returning.”

 

It was plausible. It was a sensible reason and Damen knew it full well. He’d told himself this already quite a few times today. But even so, he could not help the bad feeling that lingered in his heart.

 

He was a worrywart when it came to Laurent.

 

On that particular thought, the sound of a horn suddenly resounded through the torrent. Damen lifted his head, unsure if he heard right, the rain so loud he could have constructed the sound from his imagination to reassure himself.

 

When it resonated a second time, however, Damen recognized the trumpet as well as the characteristic hoof of horses making their way on a road. A look back at Nikandros confirmed that his friend heard the same.

 

Without wasting time, Damen whirled around and dashed inside, running through the hallways, apologizing quickly to the people he almost knocked over in his hurry. It wasn’t very kingly, he knew, and he could already hear Laurent chastising him. Damen couldn’t care.

 

Thankfully, there weren’t much people in his way, considering the distance between the balcony to the entrance was relatively small.

 

When he made it outside, ignoring the rain falling heavily on his shoulders, drenching his clothes quickly, he saw the hunt party enter through the gates. His eyes searched for Laurent and his heart sped up when he realised he was not at the front where he should have been riding. It leapt to his throat in nausea as he spotted Laurent’s horse being led without a rider atop it.

 

“Send for stable boys and men to take care of the horse, and ask servants to bring towels for each person here,” Damen ordered quickly to the guard at the front door.

 

The soldier left quickly to dispatch the orders as Damen moved forward, gaze searching furiously for any sign of Laurent, panicking as he could not find him, anxiously wondering what could have happened to him.

 

Was he wounded? Had he been left back in the fields? Was he lost and those who had returned came to seek help? He couldn’t be... he couldn’t be...

 

His relief was immense, however, when he spotted Laurent in one of the carts meant to bring back the hunt game, looking safe and sound if not completely drenched. He looked to be sitting, talking to a soldier next to him, both taking care of someone inside.

 

Damen’s shoulders sagged as he breathed a thankful sigh.

 

Makedon was the first to unsaddle next to Damen, bowing his head briefly before grinning at him widely.

 

“Truly, the king of Vere is blessed by no other than Athena herself!” he boomed with evident pride. “He went to the rescue of a few of my men without a single question in mind and managed to do most of the rescuing single-handedly!”

 

Damen’s eyes widened at the words at the same time they landed on Laurent’s gaze, who had looked up towards them at the sound of his title. No smiles were exchanged, just a brief nod, before Laurent returned his attention on his task at hand – meaning ordering the newly come servants to bring litters that would help carry the wounded inside.

 

“You will have to tell me the story over supper, friend,” Damen replied with half-attention. “There is much to do now.”

 

It was not until everyone was safely inside that Laurent joined Damen’s side, retaining the capability of looking proper and strong despite the hair clinging to his face and the clothes pressed to his skin, sapping him from any warmth he might have left. There was mud all over him, but Laurent was unbothered by it as he pressed forward without a word, expecting Damen to follow him.

 

Once inside, servants rushed to them, towels in hands to help them dry. Laurent was so drenched, however, that he merely soaked the towels at the mere contact of them, not doing much good. Damen, with a frown, ordered for a bath to be drawn immediately and dry clothes to be brought to it. He then accompanied Laurent to the bathing area, thinking he needed one himself, and having every intention of being the one to attend Laurent.

 

He had been too worried and needed this particular privacy to help sooth his nerves and make certain that Laurent was indeed all right and that he was not hiding any kind of wound.

 

When they arrived, Damen gathered everything the servants brought, then shooed them away, ordering they be left alone until he asked for them. It was once they were completely alone and he approached Laurent that the latter’s knees buckled, Damen hurriedly catching him by the waist before he could hurt himself.

 

“Laurent?” he asked, tone filled with worry as he looked his lover all over in case he had missed a wound after all.

 

Maybe there was blood through the mud and he just couldn’t have seen it.

 

But the simple sigh that escaped Laurent’s lips as he leaned his head on Damen’s chest served to ground Damen. He managed to make most of the panic go away, instead squeezing Laurent’s waist, resting his chin atop the blond hair.

 

“I’m fine, just tired and cold,” Laurent finally provided.

 

And it was then that Damen realised Laurent must have kept all of his last energies to make certain their men were all right and taken care of, and that he looked nothing but solid and steady in front of everyone until he was hidden by the privacy of the bathing room.

 

Damen nodded.

 

“Let’s get you out of these clothes before you fall ill,” he said, already removing the laces of Laurent’s jacket.

 

He expertly undid each of Laurent’s pieces of clothing, then removed his own quickly, before he helped Laurent to the bath.

 

Laurent hissed at the warmth, his skin so cold the water must have felt searing hot. He did not draw away however, merely going into the water slowly, helping himself with Damen’s steadiness. When Damen joined him inside, Laurent sat next to him, resting his head on Damen’s shoulder.

 

“You worried me so much,” Damen admitted, gathering Laurent close before trickling a little water down his pale neck, going slowly so as to not hurt him. “What happened?”

 

“When we arrived, we decided to separate in teams this morning. It was still sunny then. The clouds arrived too quickly for any of us to regroup in time. When it started pouring, it was so thick it got hard to find everybody. At some point, we learned that there had been a land slide because of the rain and two of Makedon’s men disappeared. We searched for them, rescued them, and came back only once we did.”

 

Damen’s hand rubbed Laurent’s arm, wanting to bring back as much warmth to his skin as quickly as possible, feeling its coldness even under the warm water.

 

“Makedon looked impressed. He told me you mostly saved them single-handedly,” Damen added with a proud smile of his own.

 

Laurent merely shrugged, leaning further onto Damen, seeking warmth.

 

“I was simply the first to find them. I saw an opportunity to save them and used it. Simple as that.”

 

Damen knew this wasn’t it, that Laurent was omitting most of the story. He was not the type to brag when he showed this type of kindness, making sure to even deflect the attention from him in these kinds of situations. Damen would have to learn the true story from Makedon, it seemed.

 

They washed silently after that and remained in the water to relax until Damen felt completely satisfied that Laurent had regained his normal warmth. He dried them, checking once again for any wound Laurent would have omitted, but found nothing but small bruises. Damen kissed each slowly, drawing a surprised gasp from Laurent who clung to him for support, legs trembling at the unexpected tenderness.

 

Damen then gave extra attention to Laurent’s hair so that it would be nothing but slightly damp. Laurent rolled his eyes at the attention, but otherwise kept motionless to let Damen finish the way he wanted, having regained his composure except for the light blush adorning his cheeks.

 

Once dressed, Damen was of a mind to tell Laurent they should just go back to their room, ask for supper there and take the rest of the evening easy. The pointed look Laurent shot him in return, however, as though he already knew what Damen would say, stopped Damen from even uttering a single word. With a sigh, Damen nodded and turned around, heading back to the dining hall, Laurent in tow.

 

Dinner ended up being lively. Everyone was cheerful and the men from the hunting party gladly retold the story of how their king epically went to the rescue of the two Akielon soldiers. Makedon pitched in most time, adding extraordinary details that sometimes made Damen wonder if it were really the truth or if Makedon was exaggerating. Laurent looking unfazed, merely sipping his wine as he listened to the people around, didn’t help Damen guess.

 

Nonetheless, everyone retired early, such an eventful day demanding rest. Damen was glad Laurent followed suit, knowing sleep would be Laurent’s best bet to fight off any potential illness.

 

When they arrived in their quarters, Damen saw Laurent quell down a shiver and head towards his desk, surely to work. Damen quickly grabbed him and brought him to bed, despite Laurent’s protest. He claimed loud and clear that he was sleepy and that if Laurent went to work now, the light from the candle would just bother him. Laurent recognized the lie for what it was, of course, but decided to play along anyway with a discouraged sigh.

 

That night, Damen made certain they had a lot of extra blankets to keep them warm and cuddled Laurent inside them, determined to quash the cold that still lingered in Laurent’s bones.

 

* * *

 

The warm rays of sunlight gently lit his face as he returned to awareness, stretching lazily as he did so. The mattress below him was soft and too comfortable; the sheets warm like a cocoon from which he never wanted to leave. Apprehending the cold that waited outside his heated sanctuary only pushed him back further in, readjusting himself inside in order to maximise the comfort.

 

When a knock resounded in the room, Damen realised that he shouldn’t have been lazing about in his bed. When the voice of a servant came from outside, in the hall, asking if he had permission to enter, Damen knew something was off.

 

The sun was already up in the sky, direct proof of a late morning. The times Damen had woken up because of the sun up high or because a servant was tasked with waking him, he could count on his hand.

 

Not that he didn’t laze around some mornings here and there, but he was usually awake far earlier than this. Or rather, someone woke him far earlier than this.

 

Damen turned to the figure next to him inside the covers. He was shocked to see Laurent still in bed, unmoving except for the slow inhales and exhales, sign he was still asleep.

 

Laurent never slept in. Of all the time they had known each other, Damen had always seen Laurent rise with the sun, getting to work as early as he could. Damen would usually wake up around the same time, roused by the movement in bed and, sometimes – many times, but Laurent wouldn’t admit it – with a kiss on the forehead or even the lips.

 

Some days, Damen would stay in bed a bit more, taking the time to admire the view, _especially_ if they’d made love the night before. Usually, however, he left the bed as well in order to get to work.

 

The fact that Laurent had not woken up yet was a shock and, quite frankly, worrisome. Memories from the previous day’s events only served in making Damen more anxious.

 

He reached for Laurent’s shoulder in order to shake it, observing his lover’s features more closely. At the same moment, he called for the servant to enter, not wanting to make them wait too long. He might also need their service.

 

“Laurent?” Damen called out softly.

 

He barely registered the door opening and closing as he noticed the flush on Laurent’s skin, his breathing shallow and his mouth a little twisted. Damen’s hand left Laurent’s shoulder to rest on his forehead and he gasped as he felt the heat radiating from it.

 

Laurent’s eyes finally fluttered open at the touch, a little watery and unfocused as they did. He coughed, bringing a hand to his mouth quickly despite his sluggish movements.

 

“Damen?”

 

His voice was so very small that Damen felt his heart shatter at the sound of it. It sounded pained and almost lost, as though Laurent couldn’t comprehend what was happening to him.

 

Damen leaned down and gently kissed Laurent’s forehead, cupping his face with one of his hands, caressing Laurent’s cheek with his thumb. He turned his head towards the servant, the latter standing at attention, waiting for his next orders.

 

“Please go get Paschal. And hurry while you do so.”

 

The servant bowed in answer and left quickly, not wasting time.

 

Damen returned his attention to Laurent, who was now frowning, schooling an expression that was more like himself. Damen breathed a sigh of relief. If Laurent could look like that, then he wasn’t in any sort of real danger.

 

“Good morning, love. How are you feeling?” Damen asked, his thumb drawing soft circles on Laurent’s cheek.

 

Laurent brought his hand to his forehead, a gesture of frustration, but which also indicated pain. Damen carded his fingers through the golden locks, trying to ease the hurt.

 

“How much did I drink last night? My head is killing me...”

 

Laurent forced the last words out of his teeth, as though he didn’t really want to utter them. Damen smiled gently, if with a little melancholy, and he leaned down to kiss Laurent’s lips, kiss which was returned to him with fatigue.

 

“Unfortunately, only a little,” Damen answered with sympathy. “Not enough for you to even have to feel a headache.”

 

He moved his hand back to Laurent’s forehead, tsking and shaking his head as he felt the radiating heat.

 

“Despite our best efforts yesterday, I fear you’ve fallen prey to illness on this fine morning,” Damen explained. “I sent for Paschal. Is your head the only part that’s aching?”

 

Laurent was silent for a while.

 

“What time is it?” he finally asked, avoiding Damen’s question, making the latter frown.

 

“Probably around mid-morning. Why?” Damen answered warily.

 

Laurent sighed, long and heavy, before he moved under the covers and slipped his legs out, slowly sitting on the edge of the bed.

 

“What are you doing?” Damen asked, already displeased, as he too sat up, watching Laurent.

 

Laurent didn’t answer, instead standing up, taking a few steps before he swayed, knees buckling. Damen, who had been following him, caught him just in time, arms securely around Laurent’s waist.

 

“Laurent, what are you doing?” Damen repeated, this time with a little more force as he withdrew back to the bed where he could lay Laurent.

 

Laurent feebly protested, hands to his forehead, surely to help make the vertigo pass. His skin was paler, almost sickly green.

 

“We have a lot of work, as well as meetings,” Laurent grudgingly supplied. “I cannot possibly laze around in bed when there is so much to do!”

 

Damen sighed once again. This didn’t come as a surprise. Even sick, Laurent would think about his tasks at hand. He overworked himself. No wonder the rain got to him despite their best attempts at warming him. Laurent’s body must have been exhausted to the point that the cold easily brought sickness with it.

 

Damen scooped Laurent up, one arm under his back, the other below his knees, and tucked him back into bed as Laurent protested, struggling – well, struggling was a big word. Not only Laurent did not have the strength, Damen could tell he enjoyed it secretly.

 

“ _You_ ,” Damen said sternly, “are going nowhere. _I_ will take care of everything today. I’ll meet with the council and do the paperwork. You, on the other hand, will stay here and take the time to _rest_.”

 

“But –” Laurent protested.

 

Damen didn’t let him finish, placing a finger on his lips.

 

“No buts. In the state you are in, I doubt you would be able to do much anyway.”

 

Laurent glowered at him.

 

“I believe you are mistaking me for yourself. I am not the one who spaces out merely out of boredom, or because the sheer presence of his lover in the room is too distracting. I am well capable of handling this day as any other and certainly would follow the meetings better than you would without anyone suspecting a thing,” he hissed.

 

Damen pondered over the thought and knew that Laurent was absolutely right.

 

“Even if you are capable,” he started with a sigh, “that is what actually worries me. You are correct; you indeed would handle every task as usual, but at the end of the day, it would take its toll on your body. You would end up worsening your state. You need _rest_ , Laurent.”

 

Damen smiled gently as Laurent huffed, settling himself better under the covers.

 

“Besides, you don’t have to do everything alone anymore. I am here for you. So take today off, take the time to sleep, and it will allow you to handle tomorrow even better.”

 

Damen kissed Laurent’s forehead, lingering there with tenderness as he felt Laurent melt under him. When Damen pulled away, Laurent still looked a little reluctant and miserable, but there was also relief and happiness in his eyes. Eyes twinkling, Damen caressed Laurent’s hair as the latter closed his eyes the same way a cat would when petted.

 

A knock interrupted them at that very moment and Paschal’s voice could be heard from the hall, asking permission to enter. Damen straightened up and let him in, watching as the healer came inside, the servant from earlier trailing behind.

 

“You asked for me, Your M- Exalted?” Paschal inquired, stepping inside after the servant had closed the door.

 

“Yes. Laurent woke up with fever this morning and I’m a little worried. Please take a look at him while I’m gone.”

 

“Of course,” Paschal replied with a bow of his head.

 

Satisfied, Damen turned to Laurent and gave him one last kiss on the forehead, gently cupping his face in his hands.

 

“And _you_ ,” he said with humour, “will stay in bed, and you will rest. You are forbidden from doing any kind of work, and I am quite certain Paschal will agree with me. Are we clear?”

 

Laurent rolled his eyes, but once more, Damen was certain that Laurent was secretly pleased.

 

“Yes mother,” he retorted with sarcasm, to which Damen ignored.

 

He merely turned back to the servant, leaving his spot so that Paschal could take it, and motioned for the servant to follow him in order to attend him.

 

He had a lot of work to do.

 

* * *

 

Damen took care of everything important they had planned for the day, even the few things they had to do separately. The tasks that were less significant, he arranged for them to be postponed. There was no use starting them now if they could wait. And besides, Damen was still worried about Laurent, even if Paschal was taking care of him, so he knew that anything that didn’t need his sole and complete attention wouldn’t have gotten it at all.

 

It was a boring day and it was hard to concentrate on anything, his mind always wandering back to Laurent. Laurent, the strong man who withstood every obstacle facing his way, managing to make a wound seem trifle, fell prey to sickness. It was so rare it left Damen troubled and guilty. He should have noticed sooner how exhausted Laurent was getting himself. He should have stopped him ages ago, make him relax despite their too many tasks. Hence the weather might not have gotten to Laurent so badly.

 

But then again, Laurent had returned soaking wet, having worn drenched clothes that sapped his warmth for hours. Surely illness had been unavoidable.

 

Throughout the day, Damen was rather productive despite his distracted mind. He knew that Laurent counted on him and he wanted to prove that he could be relied on. It might show Laurent that he didn’t have to shoulder everything.

 

Damen knew it was Laurent’s force of habit, the need to be in control overpowering in order to always be ten steps ahead. Years of people plotting against him would enforce that. But Damen wanted to stop such habit. He was there now, and he had no intention of going anywhere else but Laurent’s side.

 

He was done with everything by mid-afternoon, and when he saw that no one came his way to monopolize his time, he fled quickly back to their quarters, happy to finally have time to take care of his lover.

 

When he arrived, Paschal was there, hovering near the bed while he examined Laurent’s sleeping form. At the sight, Damen’s heart stopped as worry crept faster in his chest, wondering what could be wrong with Laurent if Paschal was still there. Had he been wrong? Was Laurent’s illness more serious than he’d believed?

 

He’d turned a little pale when Paschal noticed his presence in the room and turned his head towards him. Sensing his concern, Paschal offered a reassuring smile, stepping away from the bed.

 

“You do not have to worry, Exalted,” he said. “I was merely back to check on his fever. For now, it doesn’t seem to be anything serious. I gave him a medicine this morning and he has been sleeping through the day, as I’ve been informed. The fever has lessened, but it still lingers, hence why I came to check.”

 

Damen breathed a sigh of relief, shoulders relaxing at the news. He would have hated to learn that something serious had befallen Laurent.

 

“His cough worried me a little this morning,” Paschal continued, “but it seems to be sparse, so it might not be too serious and heal itself with enough rest.”

 

“I’m glad to hear it. Thank you for your hard work, Paschal. Is it all right if I take it from here?”

 

Paschal nodded.

 

“Yes, of course. Ask for me if anything happens.” He pointed to the nightstand where a small slip of paper contained what must be powder. “I left some of my medicine there. You should give him some time around tonight. I’ll come back tomorrow morning and give him more if the fever hasn’t broken by then.”

 

Damen nodded, thanking the healer once more for his hard work, then watched him leave. It wasn’t until the door was closed behind him that he moved up to the bed and sat in the chair next to the mattress previously occupied by Paschal.

 

Damen didn’t sit at once, instead stopping to better observe Laurent. He always loved to watch him sleep. It was the moment when Laurent looked the most unguarded, features soft and relaxed. It was beautiful and Damen’s heart always beat faster at the sight.

 

Damen noted the moistened cloth on Laurent’s forehead and how his skin was still a little pale. He didn’t seem in much pain, however, which was a good sign. Damen had hope that the fever would break by tonight.

 

He couldn’t resist anymore and he slowly slid his hand on Laurent’s cheek, caressing it with tenderness before slipping his fingers inside the golden locks. Laurent sensed it and moved, a sound that sounded like a whimper coming out of his lips. Damen’s heart leaped at the sound and he stopped, already regretting his action yet knowing he’d remember the noise forever. He hoped however that this would be it, that Laurent would go back to sleep, but it was crushed as Laurent’s eyes fluttered open.

 

A small smile, almost bashful, adorned Laurent’s lips when he noticed Damen standing next to him. Damen wanted Laurent to smile that way for eternity.

 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you,” Damen whispered, once more caressing Laurent’s cheek.

 

Laurent shifted under the covers, leaning into the touch. It wouldn’t surprise Damen if he heard purring at some point.

 

“Liar,” Laurent whispered back, throat dry, eyes twinkling with amusement.

 

Damen chuckled as he shook his head slowly, smiling back.

 

“You think I would wake you up for my own pleasure when I know you need the rest? You wound me.”

 

“Coming from you, I wouldn’t be surprised,” Laurent retorted before he brought a hand to his mouth, coughing into it.

 

It lasted too long for Damen’s taste and sounded strong and hollow. When it stopped, it left Laurent breathless and wheezing, a wince present on his features, indicating the pain he was in. Damen kneeled at his side, carding his fingers through his hair in reassurance until he was certain Laurent had recovered enough from it.

 

Damen then left the bedside in search for the pitcher containing water. He found it on a stand near the window and filled a glass with it that he brought back to Laurent. The latter was attempting to sit up in the bed against the pillow, cloth in hand instead of forehead. Damen put the glass on the nightstand, sat on the mattress next to Laurent, and helped him up so that he could lean against Damen.

 

Damen then offered Laurent the glass of water, who took it gratefully.

 

“Did you sleep well?” Damen asked as Laurent handed him back the glass and rested his head on Damen’s shoulder.

 

Damen, in return, secured an arm around Laurent’s waist in protectiveness.

 

Laurent hummed a committal sound, closing his eyes. For a while, they stayed like this and Damen was content with the silence, the tip of Laurent’s hair tickling his neck. Yet soon enough, Laurent pushed himself away.

 

“Thank you for checking up on me, but you should get back to work. I don’t want to keep you from it.”

 

Damen frowned, tilting his head to take a better look at Laurent’s expression, but Laurent had already hidden it by turning his own head.

 

“I’ll have you know that I am already done with everything,” he stated with tease, although his tone held the truth of it. “I took care of all the urgent and important matters, and postponed anything that could wait for the both of us.”

 

Laurent huffed in good humour, glancing at Damen with a light smirk.

 

“Somehow I doubt that,” he played along.

 

Damen scoffed.

 

“I am well capable of taking care of our duties. You are not the only one who can make decisions around here, I’ll remind you.”

 

“I’ll believe it when I see it. Next thing I know, a revolt will be on our hands.”

 

Laurent’s smirk widened as he faced Damen completely, expression schooled in amusement.

 

“Besides, it isn’t as though you have to stay here all day. I’ll just rest some more and be good as new soon. You should go fetch Nikandros or Makedon for friendly matches to the training ground. I’m certain it would please them.”

 

Ah. So that was what it was. Laurent’s attitude made complete sense.

 

“Laurent.”

 

“It’s a nice day out. But it doesn’t have to be training. Have you even showed them around the palace yet? I mean, a complete visit?”

 

“Laurent.”

 

“You know, I’m even surprised the Council let you leave so easily. Are you sure you’ve done everything right?”

 

“Laurent, I _want_ to take care of you.”

 

This time, Laurent stopped talking as his expression fell, dumbstruck and lost, and his cheeks reddened violently. He however hid it by quickly slipping back under the covers and turning his back to Damen.

 

“No you don’t,” he mumbled. “And I wouldn’t blame you. It’s boring.”

 

Damen could feel his heart shatter at the words and, not for the first time since the events at Ios, found himself cursing the Regent for hurting his most precious person in a way that left him so broken and weary of other people.

 

Very gently, Damen caught hold of the hand Laurent rested on the pillow and pressed it to his lips in sweet kisses, taking his time to peck each finger, each knuckle, then the back of his hand, to finish with its palm. He heard Laurent gasp beside him, an almost inaudible sound, but since Damen was acute to it, he noticed it.

 

“Laurent, look at me.”

 

Laurent refused, stubbornly staring at the wall.

 

“ _Please_ , Laurent, look at me.”

 

This time, Laurent reluctantly turned so that the blue of his gaze could hold Damen’s. His expression, usually in such control, looked nothing but small and broken, uncertainty latched into it. Damen kissed Laurent’s forehead before resting his own against it.

 

“I love you!” he exclaimed in a soft voice, eyes filled with seriousness and affection. “And that means I want to spend every single moment with you, which also means that I _do_ want to take care of you, whether you are well or not.”

 

He watched as Laurent opened his mouth to protest, but Damen silenced him with a kiss.

 

“And no, I am not doing anything out of obligation. I already told you, I _want_ to. It makes me feel better to be the one taking care of you. I want to bring you happiness through any kind of hardship, and it counts as one.”

 

Damen smiled as Laurent flushed even harder.

 

“Besides, times like these are the ones where you should be most selfish and ask for me to do anything you want.”

 

“You already do anything I want,” Laurent retorted with a frown.

 

Damen chuckled, nodding his head to concede the point to Laurent.

 

“All the more reasons to be extra selfish when you’re ill.”

 

Laurent sighed and rolled his eyes, but there was the ghost of a smile on his lips, secretive and glad. So very glad.

 

“I do not wish to go back to sleep just yet, however,” Laurent admitted.

 

Damen frowned for a brief moment, then realised it didn’t have to mean Laurent getting out of the bed.

 

“Then what is it that you wish to do?” he inquired, grabbing the moistened cloth previously on Laurent’s forehead that was now too warm to do any good.

 

“There is a book I have started,” Laurent answered, pointing the nightstand where the item in question lay. “I...”

 

He hesitated, cheeks turning redder than they already were.

 

“Would you like me to read it to you?” Damen supplied, understanding Laurent’s request.

 

Laurent seemed startled, as though he couldn’t have expected Damen to guess, then shyly nodded, concerned that Damen might find the request too ridiculous. Damen offered him a smile.

 

“Of course, then.”

 

But first, Damen made sure to cool the towel down with fresh water. When he returned to the bed, he settled Laurent on his lap, placing the towel back on his forehead. He grabbed the book on the nightstand, reading its title quickly before opening it to the marked page.

 

He started reading, ensuring to narrate it with heart to make it interesting to listen to. He wasn’t surprised, however, when he was only a few pages further and he heard Laurent’s breathing sound deeper, having fallen asleep.

 

Damen smiled warmly, putting the book aside. He considered it a victory.

 

* * *

 

Damen spent the whole afternoon with Laurent in bed. For the better part of it, he held Laurent closely in his arms, caressing the golden locks, observing his sleeping face.

 

Laurent’s slumber was peaceful, his expression completely relaxed, but Damen couldn’t stop the worry from returning little by little as the fever didn’t break despite Paschal’s medicine. If anything, it seemed to be getting stronger.

 

Not only that, but it happened twice or thrice that Laurent woke up briefly to cough, the hacking deep and hollow. Damen would then rub circles on Laurent’s back, hoping to ease it. Thankfully, it wouldn’t last too long and Laurent would be back to sleep in no time.

 

If he had to be honest, Damen would have stayed this way until Laurent woke up, his concern demanding that he make sure to constantly check on Laurent. He realised, however, that it was exaggerating and that he should be doing some more work. There were papers on their desk he could easily take care of while staying in bed, keeping an eye on Laurent.

 

He gathered the papers and sat back under the sheets, careful not to wake Laurent.

 

He worked until the sun almost came down, suddenly aware of how hungry he was. He thought it would be a good idea for Laurent to eat as well in order to give him strength. He called a servant and asked them to bring them food, giving orders that a light meal be prepared for Laurent.

 

Seeing as Laurent hadn’t woken up for some time, Damen felt guilty rousing him from his peaceful rest. But the fact was that Laurent had to eat to gain back strength, so it was a small price to pay in the end.

 

Damen called Laurent’s name softly, pushing the strands away from his face. When this didn’t work, he gently shook his shoulder. It took a while, and when Laurent opened his eyes, they were glazed over, barely aware of his surroundings. It was strange seeing Laurent this way, whose gaze was always quick and sharp, full of wit.

 

Now, it was as though his spirit was still in the land of dreams while his body moved of its own accord.

 

Sitting Laurent up and resting him on his chest, Damen managed to feed him a good part of his meal, the medicine mixed with it. Damen figured it was around the time it should be given and hoped it would finally be effective.

 

Laurent stopped him when approximately a quarter of the food was left, pushing the bowl away, his other hand to his lips in a sign that he couldn’t eat anymore.

 

Damen wasn’t certain, but when Laurent coughed again, he didn’t think twice anymore and put the bowl away.

 

Listening to the hacking, Damen thought it sounded worse than earlier. It was tenacious and, as Laurent shook all over, Damen wondered if Laurent would cough a lung... He was beginning to wonder if he should call for Paschal when it finally stopped, leaving Laurent breathless.

 

“This is getting worse,” Damen stated, hand reaching for Laurent’s forehead.

 

But when he resettled Laurent on his lap, after he’d went to refresh the towel, and Laurent returned to sleep easily, Damen decided that he would wait a little more instead of calling Paschal now. He had just given the medicine after all.

 

Damen observed Laurent for some time before he ate his own supper. He then worked on a few more papers, and only when he started seeing double and yawned loudly did he put everything away. He cooled down the towel one last time before he slipped back under the covers, gathering Laurent in his arms.

 

As he checked Laurent’s temperature, he thought the fever might have lessened. It was a good sign.

 

 

The first thing Damen felt when he woke up was dampness. The sheets were soaked. A thought crossed Damen’s mind that this couldn’t be good, something to do with Laurent, but in the haziness of his half-wakefulness, he didn’t understand why.

 

The second thing he woke up to was squirming and struggling, whimpers of fright and breathlessness reaching his ears. He was confused for a moment, but when the sounds turned to screaming, he was startled completely awake, the rush of memories slapping him like a cold bath.

 

He watched as Laurent fought in his arms, eyes currently still closed, face torn with pain and terror.

 

“No, please, no, _stop_!!”

 

Damen felt fists hit his chest, then fingers grabbing his clothes to try and push him away. He didn’t realise he was holding Laurent still, preoccupied with the fact that Laurent was obviously having a nightmare and couldn’t escape from it.

 

No wonder; Damen could feel the heat radiating from Laurent even in the small distance separating them. The fever had gotten far worse. That explained the soaked sheets. Laurent was sweating all over.

 

Damen regretted not calling Paschal earlier. He would remedy to that. But first, he had to get Laurent to wake up.

 

Damen didn’t think he might be making the nightmare worst as he moved his hands up to Laurent’s shoulders, shaking him gently to rouse him.

 

“Laurent, wake up,” he said soothingly. “It’s nothing but a nightmare.”

 

He moved one hand down Laurent’s back, wanting his touch to be reassuring, but it had the opposite effect, Laurent violently thrusting him away.

 

“NO!!”

 

Damen groaned, then gasped as he watched Laurent tumbling down from the bed. Wrestling with the covers, Damen quickly untangled himself from them and slid off the bed as well to help Laurent up, the latter already moving to stand on his wobbly feet.

 

The moment Laurent felt the touch on his arm, he punched Damen on the face with a snarl, skidding away as though burned, features scowled in hate and fright.

 

“ ** _Don’t touch me!!_** ”

 

Taken by surprise, Damen crashed down, gathering his hands to his face in a painful groan, suddenly seeing stars. That hit had been powerful despite Laurent’s state. Adrenaline would do that to a man.

 

He was barely aware of the state of shock Laurent was in, eyes wide with shock and fear while he stared back at Damen, at last conscious of his actions. Damen did watch however as Laurent fled. For a moment, he apprehended Laurent would run out of the room altogether – which would be bad, for Laurent wasn’t in any state to be leaving.

 

He felt relief when he saw Laurent retreat to the farthest corner of the antechamber instead, sitting on the comfortable armchair, hiding his face in his hands.

 

Damen took a few seconds to relax on the floor, feeling his sore cheek and wincing at the pain lancing through his mouth. Laurent truly didn’t pull any punches when he hit him. Damen couldn’t help but be a little proud for a brief moment.

 

He then gathered himself and, very slowly, approached Laurent’s trembling form. Damen could see from his vantage how cold and terrified Laurent was. He was curled up against himself, hands to his ears, eyes wide with fear fixed on the floor. He was shaking from head to toe, violently, unable to stop. Damen wondered if it was from the fever alone or if fear had a major part to play.

 

Either way, the sight broke Damen and he had to close his eyes for a second to push away the hurt all of this brought him.

 

“Laurent,” Damen called softly.

 

“NO! **Stop! Do. Not. _Touch me!_** ”

 

Damen halted at the murderous glare he received, raising his hands on each side of him in a peaceful gesture. He then crouched a little, making certain to look as less threatening as possible.

 

“Alright, no touching,” he agreed, keeping his tone gentle.

 

Laurent eyed him warily, breathing ragged, before he broke into another coughing fit, and it took every ounce of willpower inside Damen not to go to Laurent’s side and rub his back.

 

Laurent was left wheezing and dizzy, arms now hugging himself while his teeth chattered.

 

“Laurent, you need to come back to bed.”

 

Silence answered him.

 

“Laurent please. I promise not to touch you, but please go back to bed.”

 

“How can you even stand the sight of me,” Laurent finally spoke up after what felt like eternity between them.

 

His voice was small and empty, his face hidden between his fingers. His tone didn’t feel like a question, more like a statement of discouragement at Damen for not leaving sooner.

 

Damen felt anger bubbling up – anger at a particular man he craved to revive and kill as many times as it took to avenge Laurent – but knowing it wasn’t time to think about that, he gulped it back down, gathering nothing but soothing tenderness in his own voice.

 

“You didn’t know any better.”

 

Laurent removed his hands, slowly, and Damen was shocked to see tears freely running down his cheeks, leaving trails even paler than his already ashen face. Laurent looked lost, the child who had been robbed of innocence in him resurfacing. Damen’s heart tugged painfully in his chest.

 

“You were trapped in that nightmare. It’s not your fault,” Damen added, mindful of the double meaning his words held.

 

Laurent tensed, eyes widening in shock, before more tears were shed.

 

“It felt so real,” he whispered.

 

“Yes,” Damen agreed, nodding. “But it’s over now. It is in the past and you are here, in the present, with me, in our room. Nothing will hurt you here, I promise you that.”

 

Damen rose slowly from his position, approaching Laurent with baby steps, gauging his body language in case he was overstepping his boundaries. When he didn’t see any signs of Laurent shutting himself off or pushing Damen away, he sat on the arm of the seat, still not touching Laurent.

 

“How can you be so sure?”

 

Damen surveyed Laurent’s body language constantly, ready to step away the moment he spotted discomfort.

 

“Because I am here to protect you.”

 

Laurent’s features twisted in sorrow and as the tears flowed profusely, low sobs escaped his throat. It tore Damen apart. It was the first time he ever saw Laurent cry and he wished he never had to witness such anguish. It meant that everything was wrong, that Laurent just could not take it anymore. He was breaking down and Damen felt powerless, unable to help. The mere thought scathed him.

 

“Why?” Laurent chocked out, teeth clenched, eyes tightly shut.

 

Damen started. “Why? Laurent, what...”

 

“Why would you do this for someone like me?” Laurent cut him, voice uncontrollably shaking.

 

It was so unlike him, so surreal, that Damen wondered for a very brief instant if he was the one having the nightmare.

 

“Why, when I’m so _dirty_!” Laurent spat the last word with disgust, a wail of anguish following.

 

Once more, Damen regretted the Regent got such an easy death. He wished he could have throttled him, tortured him, inflicted on him thousands of sufferings. All that before he could fall on his sword.

 

But right now, Laurent didn’t need Damen’s anger at the Regent. He needed Damen’s gentleness, his undying devotion, his passionate faithfulness and, most of all, his everlasting love.

 

Slowly, very slowly, he reached for Laurent’s chin, barely touching with his index and thumb. When he didn’t spot a single sign of flinching or discomfort, he lifted Laurent’s head so that their eyes could meet, sliding carefully his other hand upon Laurent’s cheek. Damen offered his lover the most doting and warmest smile he could muster.

 

“Because I love you,” he whispered simply, establishing in his tone that there was no other truth, that it was as uncomplicated as this. “I love you despite what happened to you in the past. It is a part of you, and it is a part that I cherish wholeheartedly, as I cherish all other parts of yourself. You mean the world to me, Laurent.”

 

Damen felt Laurent’s breath catch in his throat as his eyes grew, the tears stopping momentarily.

 

It was only a brief calm before the storm, however. Laurent’s expression fell and he threw himself at Damen, wailing loudly as the tears streamed anew. Damen felt a tug on his chiton and saw Laurent gripping his clothes hard, pulling to bring him closer. Taking the sign as his cue that he could now offer comfort, Damen slowly pushed Laurent as he slid in the armchair next to him, constantly checking for any sign that his presence was unwanted or that Laurent was panicking at his touch. But Laurent only pressed harder against him and Damen scooped him up to sit him on his lap where Laurent would gain the solace of Damen’s embrace, the latter encircling his arms around the other’s lean form.

 

Laurent’s cries echoed loudly throughout the room and Damen had to ignore his chest constricting, instead concentrating on rubbing circles atop Laurent’s back and caressing the golden locks. Laurent wept in the hollow of his neck, his hands tightly fisting Damen’s clothes like it was a lifeline, the only thing keeping him grounded.

 

Damen could feel the heat radiating from his lover, understanding full well it was a worrisome warmth. But his hands were tied at the moment; Laurent would refuse any kind of treatment in his state of mind. It was best to sooth him now, then call for help, even if his health was fragile.

 

He consoled Laurent with sweet words murmured in his ear, feeling the rack of his body as he coughed and sobbed, sensing his shakiness at how cold and afraid he felt. Damen became Laurent’s anchor, not stopping his reassurances even when Laurent began to calm down and all that was left was the trembling from the fever.

 

“I love you,” Damen murmured continuously in a mantra. “I love you so much.”

 

Then the tears gradually stopped, becoming nothing more than hiccups, and Laurent completely relaxed.

 

“Damen...”

 

Laurent’s voice was so low, so weak, that if Damen hadn’t been acutely tuned to the sound of it, he wouldn’t have heard his name.

 

“Hmm?”

 

“I can’t... can’t move my body.”

 

And then Damen was suddenly aware of how exactly _wet_ his clothes were. Because Laurent hadn’t just cried, he was also sweating profusely, his hair sticking to his face. His eyes were gleaming feverishly and his features were set in an expression of pain.

 

Damen had to get Paschal. He couldn’t wait any longer.

 

It took every ounce of his control not to fidget at the words and keep completely calm. It wouldn’t do to make Laurent panic when he was already in so much pain.

 

“It’s all right, I’ll carry you,” Damen reassured with a smile. “Back to bed for you.”

 

He gently grabbed Laurent beneath his shoulders and below his knees and gathered him closely to his chest, easily lifting him. He was careful on the way back to the bed and laid Laurent on the mattress tenderly, above the covers. There was no point in tucking him under them, knowing it would only worsen his state since they were completely soaked.

 

Damen quickly strode to the doors and bid the guard outside to fetch Paschal first, then a servant for clean sheets and water, and to be quick about it. When he returned inside, Damen fetched a cloth, a bowl, and the water pitcher, grimacing at how warm it had become. It would have to do for now however, until Paschal arrived.

 

Returning to the bed, he saw how Laurent had closed his eyes, his breathing laboured, fast, and broken by coughing fits that sounded hollow and wet, leaving him all the more winded once they stopped. Damen didn’t have to be a healer to realise that each movement Laurent made was a stab of pain for him.

 

It was to the sound of a whimper that Damen set everything on the nightstand and got to work, filling the bowl with water and moistening the cloth. He cleaned Laurent’s face of the sweat, combing the sticky locks out of his forehead. He proceeded to undress Laurent of his nightshirt, throwing it on the floor while he cleaned him.

 

“Bear with me,” Damen said with sympathy as Laurent complained of the cold with a whimper and shivers.

 

Damen reserved the same treatment as the shirt for Laurent’s pants, then cleaned his legs.

 

There was a brief and curt knock at the door, but before Damen could give permission to enter, Paschal was already coming in, rushing to his side. He looked to be still in night clothes, but when Damen glanced up at his face, saw that the healer was already wide awake. Either he was used to being woken in the middle of the night to take care of patients, or he hadn’t been sleeping.

 

Damen stepped away to give space for Paschal who immediately got to work without a word. Turning towards the door, Damen realised the servant had also arrived, leaving the sheets near the bed and the pitcher of fresh water on the table where the previous one stood a few minutes ago. The servant had now set upon the task of lighting all the candles so that everyone could see clearly.

 

A cluck of the tongue had Damen turn to the room’s other occupants, uneasiness settling in his chest. It got worse when Paschal whirled around with a frown on his features.

 

“His temperature is too high. You!” he commanded to the servant who froze in their task, turning their attention to Paschal. “Go get ice and a tub filled with water. Make sure it is lukewarm. And do it _fast_!”

 

The servant quickly bowed their head before they scurried out of the room to fetch the required item.

 

As Paschal got back to work, Damen awkwardly fidgeted on his spot, the distress over Laurent’s health only getting stronger. He wished to be by Laurent’s side, but wondered if it would only hinder Paschal’s work. And so he settled for finishing to light the candles first, to at least calm the disquiet in his limbs.

 

“Damen...”

 

He stopped before he could, however, when he heard Laurent call his name, his voice distraught, searching. He stopped thinking altogether and the next thing he knew, he was on the side of the bed opposite to Paschal, sitting on the mattress, Laurent’s hand in his. He kissed the back of it with tenderness, his eyes watching Laurent’s unfocused gaze.

 

“I’m right here, love,” he stated with reassurance, never letting go of Laurent’s hand.

 

Paschal was replacing the water in the bowl with the fresh one asked by Damen, moistening a few cloths he brought with him, laying them on various places on Laurent’s body, surely to help cool him down while they waited for the tub.

 

“At what time did you give him the medicine?” he asked.

 

“Supper. Around sunset.”

 

Paschal nodded.

 

“Good. I should be able to give him a stronger dose then. What did he eat?”

 

“Broth. He ate most of it.”

 

Damen watched Paschal examining Laurent’s pulse, a stab of worry hitting him at the frown on the healer’s face. The latter then listened to Laurent’s breathing, ear on his patient’s chest, the frown only furrower as Laurent coughed.

 

“Hmm. He should not be given anything more substantial than that for the next few days, or I fear he won’t be able to stomach it. Stick to that and soup.”

 

Damen couldn’t help feeling that Paschal was doing small talk to distract him. Considering it was still useful information, Damen found it worked splendidly.

 

He was watching Paschal examining Laurent, palpating key parts of his body, when the servant from earlier returned with a second and a third one, all carrying the tub filled with water. They placed it in the middle of the room while a fourth servant entered with a stack of towels in hand, the ice on top of it.

 

“Ah, good,” Paschal exclaimed, turning his attention to the servants briefly. “Thank you. I ask for one of you not to stray too far, in case I have need of your services.”

 

He then fetched a glass which he filled with water before he poured powder into it – the same medicine given to Laurent earlier. Paschal mixed the substance and handed the glass to Damen.

 

“Make him drink it while I make certain the water is the right temperature.”

 

Damen nodded, once again thinking the healer was keeping him busy so that he would have no time to think.

 

He looked down at Laurent, who had his eyes closed, but with the way his body shook and his features were set in pain, it was obvious he was not asleep.

 

“Laurent,” he murmured gently.

 

Laurent’s eyes slowly opened, watery. Damen gently wiped away a stray tear.

 

“You need to drink this, ok?”

 

Laurent nodded, slowly trying to lift himself up, but barely able to move his arms without hissing in pain. Damen helped him immediately, gently taking a hold of his elbows and moving him up. He then cradled the back of Laurent’s head in one of his hand, the other holding the glass he placed on Laurent’s lips, making him drink gradually so that he wouldn’t choke on the liquid.

 

Once the glass was empty, Damen placed it away while Laurent’s head immediately plopped back down on the pillows, short-winded as though he’d just run around the whole palace.

 

“Exalted, could you bring him in the tub please?” Paschal asked.

 

Damen removed the cloths lying on Laurent’s body before he gathered him into his arms, being as gentle as he could, ensuring to lift him with as less movement as possible. He approached the tub and, per Paschal’s order, carefully laid Laurent inside the water, sitting him so that the water was above his shoulders and in a way that he wouldn’t risk falling if Damen let go. Damen then fetched a towel that he placed behind Laurent’s neck for maximum comfort.

 

Paschal handed Damen the ice.

 

“We have to bring the fever down. For now, we’ll let his body get used to the lukewarm water, then when I tell you, you’ll have to gradually put ice in it in order to drop the temperature.”

 

Damen nodded.

 

They spent a good part of the night taking care of Laurent in the tub. Paschal continuously checked his temperature and his vitals, then asked Damen to add small parts of ice a few times – not too much, otherwise too cold water would end up making Laurent shivering, which would increase the fever, Paschal had explained. Thankfully, it worked well enough that the heat diminished to the limit of acceptable.

 

When Paschal announced it would be safe to bring Laurent back to bed, Damen wrapped Laurent in a few towels to dry him carefully. He returned him to bed, the sheets having been changed earlier by the servants at Damen’s order. He laid Laurent and tucked him under the lightest sheet, then watched as Paschal placed two moistened cloth on him – one on his forehead, the other on his stomach.

 

“You should go rest, Exalted” Paschal finally announced when he was satisfied.

 

Damen protested, not wanting to leave Laurent’s side. Besides, this was his bed as well, and he didn’t think getting inside it with Laurent was a good idea for now.

 

But the look he received from Paschal was insistent.

 

“You should go rest,” he repeated with more intent. “I know you’ll insist on taking care of him, and so you should gather as much energy as you can while it is still essential for me to be around. I’ll keep an eye on him for now. Go to sleep.”

 

Damen opened his mouth, but found the logic sound, and even if it pained him to leave Laurent’s side, at the very least, he was in good hands.

 

“Very well,” he agreed.

 

He left, in quest of the quarters given to him out of formality at his first arrival, quarters he had never found use for. It would do for the time being.

 

* * *

 

Damen was startled awake by the sound of a gasp and the feeling of a body shooting up in alarm beside him. He opened his eyes groggily, sensing how stiff he was all over because of the position he had fallen asleep in: sitting on the ground, head resting in his arms lying on the mattress.

 

When he lifted his head, Laurent was frantically awake, his body tense, his eyes watching Damen with wariness and panic.

 

Damen winced inwardly and pulled away from the bed, ascertaining that Laurent wouldn’t feel threatened in the case that this was a repeat from two nights ago.

 

Nonetheless, it was good to see Laurent awake. It was the first time he appeared lucid in over two days, which had worried Damen while he took care of his lover. Paschal attempted many times to reassure him, to explain that this was normal and probably for the best, but Damen couldn’t help it. Seeing Laurent so ill he could hardly keep awake was such a surreal concept to grasp.

 

“It’s okay,” Damen soothed, voice hushed. “It’s only me. You’re safe here.”

 

He sighed in relief when he observed the tension abandon Laurent’s limbs, Laurent lying back down on his side silently. He didn’t say anything for a while – only coughing briefly –, nor did Damen. The both of them gazed into each other’s eyes, Damen lovingly with hints of concern, Laurent with what appeared to be sadness.

 

“I hit you,” Laurent finally said, raising a hand to caress Damen’s cheek where he had hit him two nights ago.

 

A bruise was probably present, but with his dark skin, Damen was lucky it didn’t show much.

 

“I’ve had far worst, trust me. Besides, I learned that you’ve got one mean hook,” Damen teased, eyes twinkling in mirth.

 

Laurent smiled in response, eyes twinkling as well. Damen’s heart fluttered at the sight, the very first happy one in days.

 

“Did you doubt me?” Laurent asked with amusement.

 

Damen chuckled.

 

There was another pause, Laurent returning his hand near himself, breaking into a cough, before his gaze saddened again.

 

“I am sorry.”

 

“There is nothing to forgive,” Damen replied, shaking his head. “It was mere self-defence after all.”

 

Laurent frowned.

 

“But –”

 

A hand on his mouth interrupted him.

 

“No buts. I love you, remember? And every part of you. Every single one.”

 

Laurent’s skin reddened from chest to cheeks and Damen had to fight the urge to check the other’s temperature, recognising it was Laurent simply blushing.

 

The smile that followed was beautifully breathtaking and Damen couldn’t tear his eyes away, sensing the glee bubbling inside his chest at such a rare sight that was becoming not so rare between just the two of them as time went on.

 

Damen had to fight the urge to wrap Laurent in his arms and crush him with love, reminding himself that Laurent’s body was yet too fragile from illness.

 

He did all the same lean over to capture the smile in a tender kiss, cupping Laurent’s face in his hands, both communicating his burst of joy and love, as well as ascertaining with relief that the fever had broken.

 

When Damen pulled away, Laurent’s smile was intact and even more magnificent. His being held nothing short of godly features in the morning light, with his golden hair pooling around his on the pillow akin to a glowing halo, his eyelids half-closed in contentedness. Some colours had returned to his skin and he appeared far healthier than he had been in days.

 

Most traces of illness still lingered, of course, but for now, they were all in the back of Damen’s mind, Laurent’s appeased expression overpowering it all.

 

Besides, to Damen, Laurent was heavenly superb no matter what.

 

“Yes, I remember,” Laurent whispered, his smile lopsided.

 

The leap his heart made pushed Damen for another kiss, sweet and slow.

 

“Shouldn’t you be careful? You could fall ill because of me,” Laurent advised as they pulled away, although half-heartedly.

 

It was evident he enjoyed the attentions.

 

“I do not really care. It would mean you would have to take care of me,” Damen replied, caressing Laurent’s forehead and hair.

 

Laurent chuckled, the sound low and brief, but it was all it took for another joyous blow at Damen’s heart.

 

“Somehow, I believe I wouldn’t have the time. I have this nagging hunch you haven’t done much work in my absence. I will have to pick up from where you left off as extra work atop my usual duties. Better let you take care of yourself then.”

 

The pout Damen sent him made Laurent chuckle once again, but it transformed into giggling, sometimes broken by cough, as Damen nuzzled Laurent in the crook of his neck.

 

“You are so mean!” Damen complained with mock anguish. “And here I looked out for you with all the love I could muster! And that is how you would repay me? Preposterous!”

 

He trailed butterfly kisses unto Laurent’s neck and jaw, the latter’s giggling only louder.

 

“Very well, very well, I will take care of you while I work. Is this what you want to hear? At least _I_ will not be useless!” Laurent teased, grin so wide it almost reached his ears.

 

Damen’s was a mirror to it.

 

“I _devoted_ myself to you. How could you not return the favour?”

 

“Because we have a kingdom to tend to and I would very much appreciate for it not to collapse in both our absences.”

 

Damen finished his trail of kisses on both Laurent’s eyelids, gentle as he kissed each of them, drawing out a contented sigh from Laurent.

 

Collapsing next to Laurent in bed, they shared a comfortable silence for a while, appreciating the warmth of the morning sun.

 

“How long was I asleep?” Laurent inquired, humming at the light caress in his hair.

 

“Two days.”

 

“That long?”

 

Damen hesitated.

 

“The illness hit you rather hard. Paschal explained to me that it is in the lungs and that, to fight it off, your body had to produce a fever. But it got so high that you could barely move and we had to forcibly bring it down. After that, you slept and woke in the last two days, but never really were conscious when you opened your eyes.”

 

Damen pursed his lips.

 

“I... I feared for you.”

 

They were once more quiet, Laurent studying Damen’s expression.

 

“I’m sorry for worrying you,” Laurent murmured, guilt etched in his features.

 

Damen shook his head.

 

“No, never apologize for that. It is not your fault. You do not have to feel guilt over something you have no control,” he replied while his fingers brushed Laurent’s cheek lightly.

 

Laurent nodded, grateful.

 

“And how are you feeling now?” Damen asked. “The fever seems to have broken, but I am not an expert. Paschal will probably be arriving very soon to check on you.”

 

Laurent rolled onto his back, watching the ceiling with contemplation.

 

“I feel better than I have the last time I was conscious. I don’t have the impression my head will be splitting in two.”

 

“That is good to hear.”

 

Damen breathed a sigh of relief.

 

“You should still stay in bed and rest, however. You just began recovering and your cough isn’t gone.”

 

Laurent didn’t answer, eyes fixed on the ceiling. Damen feared Laurent would object, but in the end, he nodded briefly.

 

It must be hard for Laurent to stop himself from working when he was used to nothing else. He would end up feeling restless, Damen just knew. To agree with Damen to rest in bed, to do nothing but concentrate on getting better, that must have been a hard thing to agree to.

 

“Are you hungry?”

 

Damen was determined to keep tending Laurent in a way that would make him feel blessed and happy. He was resolved to treat him with extra care so that Laurent would come to enjoy these forced days off.

 

“A little. I feel like I haven’t eaten in days.”

 

Damen kissed Laurent’s forehead.

 

“Very well. Food it is then.”

 

He got up and walked to the door, ordering to one of the two guards posted there to ask the servant bound to arrive soon to bring food, specifying a light meal for Laurent. He then returned to bed, sliding inside the covers, gathering Laurent in his arms carefully.

 

“Would you like me to continue that book you were reading a few days ago?” Damen asked, playing with Laurent’s hair.

 

Laurent started, probably not expecting Damen to remember about it, before he looked up into Damen’s eyes, searching. He nodded, expression bashful but pleased.

 

With fondness in his features, Damen grabbed for the book which hadn’t moved from the nightstand, and flipped the pages to the bookmark he’d placed there. Without further ado, he began reading, sensing this time how all ears Laurent was instead of about to collapse in exhaustion. It was a good sign.

 

Damen read to him until their breakfast arrived, Paschal not far behind the servants. Damen ate his meal distractedly while Paschal examined Laurent, relieved to hear that the fever had truly broken and that Laurent was indeed on the path to recovery.

 

Damen then assisted Laurent with his breakfast – because he wanted to, he’d said to Laurent protesting to the help, stating he could well eat on his own – before returning to his previous position to continue the book. Laurent listened well into the morning, but fell back to sleep a little before noon.

 

Careful not to wake Laurent up, Damen returned the book to the nightstand and stood up, heading for his wardrobe.

 

Laurent was right; he had work to do.

 

* * *

 

“Are you certain you shouldn’t stay in bed some more?”

 

“Damen, I am not some fragile maiden! I have rested enough, it’s been a week.”

 

“But you’re not fully healed yet, you deserve to take it easy...”

 

“I am well enough to be functional. You are being ridiculous atop a mother hen. We have work to do and I am intent on being there to do it. It’s a miracle nothing has burned down or collapsed yet in my absence.”

 

A mock offended gasp was heard in the room, but it was rendered useless with the worried expression etched on Damen’s features as he watched Laurent dress himself, adjusting the laces on his white undershirt. As a last resort, Damen grabbed the blue jacket lingering on the chair next to him, waiting to be adorned by Laurent’s upper body.

 

Laurent eyed him critically, reaching a hand for his jacket, emphasising with his fingers that Damen _better_ give it to him _or else_...

 

“The kingdom is doing fine, I’ve taken care of things just fine.”

 

“Damen, this is childish! Give me my –”

 

Laurent was cut by a strong bout of coughing, and the crook of his elbow flew to his mouth as he coughed hard, the sound making Damen wince.

 

“See!” Damen exclaimed with a frown. “That cough doesn’t sound good. I’m really not sure you should be allowed to work just yet. Take another day off. At least just one.”

 

Laurent, who finally stopped, sighed in resign. He lowered his arm and approached Damen, grabbing him by the waist and pushing himself on the tip of his toes to lay his forehead against Damen’s.

 

“I...”

 

Another sigh. Laurent looked away, as though searching for his words, then closed his eyes, a light blush blossoming on his face.

 

“You need to stop worrying,” Laurent said gently, his commanding tone completely gone. “I appreciate how you are concerned for me because I know it is your way to show your...”

 

The blush reddened.

 

“Love for me. But I have recovered and I am feeling well enough to go back to my daily duties. Do you not trust me?”

 

“Yes, of course I do.”

 

This time, it was Damen’s turn to sigh. He enveloped Laurent in a tight embrace, pulling their bodies flush against each other.

 

“I’m sorry, I just... Seeing you like that scared me to death and I felt powerless to do anything for you.”

 

“But you helped me tremendously, Damen,” Laurent retorted, his hands grabbing the back of the Veretian shirt Damen wore.

 

The words were a balm to his worries.

 

“You’re right,” Damen eventually conceded. “I shouldn’t hold you here. Let me attend you.”

 

Laurent nodded, pulling away from the embrace, spreading his arms open to help Damen put the jacket on him.

 

“Just promise me one thing,” Damen added, adjusting the clothing before he got to the lacing.

 

“Hmm?”

 

“If you’re feeling unwell, don’t try to hold it down, even if it’s not just the two of us around. Don’t keep it all in and make your health worse. Can you promise me that?”

 

Laurent paused, eyeing Damen carefully, gaze showing the debate he was having with himself. Damen knew he was asking a lot out of Laurent; Laurent who was always in control, who didn’t show any weakness in front of others.

 

When he nodded slowly, Damen’s chest burst in relief. He finished tying the lacing, more at ease now that he had assurance he would know if Laurent was beginning to feel unwell.

 

“Thank you,” Damen murmured, kissing Laurent’s forehead.

 

Laurent offered a private smile in return, caressing the side of Damen’s face with his knuckles.

 

“Anything for you,” he said with yet another blush.

 

He whirled around on his feet once he was ready.

 

“Now, let’s go see how well you managed our kingdom in my absence!”

 

“I’ll have you know I am an emperor and managed my own kingdom well before all this.”

 

“Hmmhmm, yes, you might have, but we are in Vere at the moment, even if we managed to unite our kingdoms.”

 

“The council found nothing of reproach from my work!”

 

“They might only have meant to not hurt your feelings while I was away. After all...”

 

They closed the door to the bedroom behind them, heading for their next meeting, bickering happily. Damen grasped Laurent’s hand, sealing it with his in a warm hold, a smile on his lips.

 

He realised that this illness had of course been a bad thing, but brought some good with it despite everything. He realised that it brought Laurent and him closer to each other.

 

And though he would never wish for this to happen to Laurent, he was still grateful for the experience.

 

Anything to be closer and closer to his most precious person.

**Author's Note:**

> Well, I'm a sucker for sickfic, so obviously, I had to write one, ha ha! 
> 
> This took a while to write, not only because it got out of hand, but also because I worried a lot about the outcome. I wasn't sure how it would be received, nor if I managed to keep everyone in character, especially Laurent (ugh, Laurent, why you so hard to write?)
> 
> Thanks to arianwen44 with the idea of Laurent bursting into tears. That pushed me in the right direction and eased my fears a little :D
> 
> Tell me what you think! ^^


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